GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The nonprofit Kids' Food Basket plans to deliver some extra food beginning next week, if the federal SNAP food benefits are not distributed in November.
About 1.4 million Michigan residents rely on SNAP benefits to buy groceries. With a federal pause in their distribution due to the government shutdown, Kids' Food Basket has put a contingency plan in place to feed school children.
Its vice president of programming, Austin Roelofs, elaborated on West Michigan's Morning News.
"We will be providing more than 10,000 healthy shelf-stable bags (of food) for next week," Roelofs told WOOD Radio. "And looking to do that - likely, as this continues that will just be our first time - but next Thursday and Friday, delivering to our 66 elementary school."
Kids' Food Basket serves about 11-thousand students each weekday with sack suppers, in Kent, Ottawa, Allegan and Muskegon counties.
"So, that will be more than 150,000 additional pieces of food, including bananas, apples, oatmeal," Roelofs said. "You know, shelf-stable items that can really help not only the students there, but be able to bring home and share with their families, as well."
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